"I Love Lucy" vs. "Seinfeld" - which is the best sitcom ever

[LynneSin]

I was reading a bit about Lucille Ball, with her 100th birthday this weekend. It seems the polls out there with all-time favorite sitcom usually have either "I Love Lucy" or "Seinfeld" as the best sitcom of all time.

I've tried watching "I Love Lucy" but it's just not my cup of tea. However, I do think Seinfeld is funny as hell and still watch reruns from time to time.

So, which is the best sitcom of all time and yes, I am putting an "Other" in there. If you think it's some other TV show sitcom then list it.

[RebelOne]

1. "Married With Children" and "All In The Family"

And on the British side "Absolutely Fabulous."

[frogmarch]

2. Father Ted!

FT is my favorite of all time.

[LynneSin]

7. But this isn't about what your favorite Sitcom is.

Mine is "Sex and the City"

This is about which sitcom is the best of all time and polls usually are between I Love Lucy or Seinfeld.

[frogmarch]

10. Father Ted is the best

sitcom of all time, plus it happens to be my favorite sitcom.

I don't care which ones are most commonly polled.

[MerryBlooms]

3. Other

I suppose as far as sitcom goes - Barney Miller or WKRP.

Sitcoms have never really been my thing, but man, I sure love the mystery series - especially PBS Masterpiece Mystery, Perry Mason (I still catch them), Columbo and the old NBC Mystery Movie nights.

[Philippine expat]

4. I picked other

but of the 2 I Love Lucy by a large margin,
Seinfeld was absolutely the worst TV show I have ever watched

[dr.strangelove]

5. M*A*S*H

Will always be tops in my book. Lucy and Jerry are both solid shows, but not the title holder.

[Pool Hall Ace]

6. I never really "got" Seinfeld

so if it was just between Lucy and Seinfeld, I would certainly choose Lucy.

However, I was a much bigger fan of Mary Tyler Moore, All in the Family, and Maude.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm ...

Larry David just makes me giggle.

[Auggie]

14. The unofficial and sneaky Seinfeld spin-off...

in my opinion. I love CYE.

[Cary Vonfused]

21. That "Palestinian chicken" episode a couple weeks ago was almost like a "Soup Nazi" sequel

Though obviously there were a couple bits in there they would have never got away with on NBC.

[NYC_SKP]

9. I have to give it to the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

[LibDemAlways]

11. I agree. Pure comedy gold. n/t

[Auggie]

12. Seinfeld broke the sitcom mold, and that's hard to do.

It's take on sociology and human relationships had never been done quite the way they did it, and the show introduced a lexicon immediately adopted by the public and still with us today: "No soup for you, man-hands, yada, yada, yada, GET OUT!, shrinkage, etc."

[Denninmi]

13. Both are iconic shows, both broke new ground.

Lucy pushed barriers of gender, race/ethnicity. Seinfeld didn't do that. But overall, Seinfeld is funnier, and more sophisticated, IMHO. Hard choice, though.

Really, in terms of an important message, I'd have to go with All In The Family, with MASH a close second, and Roseanne third (Roseanne Barr has a LOT to say about the condition of working class America). In terms of quirky fun, Seinfeld. Lowbrow humor, probably the first few seasons of Three's Company. Britcom, I'd have to pick Keeping Up Appearances.

[Flaxbee]

15. Soap

:)

I really liked the very short-lived "Sports Night".

I completely, utterly despise Seinfeld. Hate it.

I Love Lucy's comedy is not really my cup of tea, either, but she was one hell of a revolutionary.

[pokerfan]

19. Loved Sports Night

but I really wouldn't classify it as a sitcom. More of a half-hour comedic drama. But I loved it and own the box set (which isn't really that large of a box... :))

But that said, I also appreciated Seinfeld. What I liked about Seinfeld is that for show about nothing, it was actually quite intricate, tying together two or even three seemingly disparate stories into one by the end.

[begin_within]

16. Niether one, the best is a tie between The Dick Van Dyke show and The Mary Tyler Moore show.

I Love Lucy, maybe 3rd, or possibly 4th behind All in the Family. Seinfeld maybe 20th. Sorry.

[TorchTheWitch]

17. I hated I Love Lucy n/t

[6000eliot]

18. Arrested Development

Or Strangers With Candy

[coyotespaw]

20. Titus

I have never once laughed at anything I've seen on Seinfeld (or any of his stand-up for that matter.) Give me some comedy with some teeth, however, and I'm literally on the floor laughing. For me, the best comedy comes from laughing at a shared concern with someone who has been there. It's the laughter that comes from staring down the devil, kicking him in the balls, and lighting a cigarette off of his firey horns. Titus (the show, not the comic/actor) died before its time, but refused to compromise to the network. It was sometimes awkward, sometimes painful; but it was always real, and it was always funny. And that's why it is the best.